Back to You
by stacywriter
Summary: Casey and Dawson escaped two traumatic experiences, what happens as tensions build in the firehouse with his promotion? Will it cause a rift in their marriage, or will they stand united during any obstacle thrown their way?
1. Chapter 1

First attempt at a Casey and Dawson fic, have written one for 'Jamie and Eddie' on Blue Bloods, so we'll see where this one goes and how long of a story it ends up being.

I recently just got into this show - all caught up and was drawn to this couple from the start!

 **Note - Rating is a T; however, warning that portions may contain an M rating.**

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Back to You - Chapter One:**

* * *

It had been a few short months since Gabby stood outside a burning building, barely holding herself together as her husband bared his soul and uttered a tearful goodbye, one that not only broke her into a million pieces but almost ended up shutting off the air supply as she stood there frozen. Luckily, in a twist of fate, he came out of that building alive and back into her arms.

She had been telling everyone for months – what they went through was over, it was done.

They were moving on from the pain of it all.

That was, until roles were reversed, and she was thrown into what could have been another life altering change for the two of them. She fought to stay alive, and with her husband on the other side of the concrete walls pushing her to keep fighting as he tried to find a way in, they found themselves on the verge of events being the cause of one of them being taken from the other.

This time, no goodbyes were exchanged, only words of fight for survival.

Coming up from behind and feeling his arms wrap around her, Gabby was thrown back into reality, right before slowly sinking backward into her husband's embrace. Safe and familiar, a feeling she never wanted to take for granted. "Good morning," he whispered into her ear.

A small smile escaped at not only the sound of his voice, but the softness of his lips as they pressed against her cheek. The two of them had gone through so many changes and struggles over the past several months – personally and professionally. Her father had left their apartment, which was bound to relieve some tension in their marriage, and then he was promoted to a Captain in the firehouse.

Matt Casey smirked once his wife turned around and placed a soft kiss against his lips in return, cupping his face in the process, and drawing him near until she stalled against the wooden edge of the dresser. The two of them reluctantly pulled away slowly in that moment, silently wishing they had the day to fall back into bed and shut out the rest of the world, continuing to relish in the fact that they were both still alive, and most importantly, together.

They couldn't deny that, at times, the job was a threat to what they wanted personally.

After what had happened in the parking garage, he knew that her being off truck didn't necessarily mean she would avoid the risk of their jobs – on or off duty. Stepping in and helping people – it was who they were, and they'd both risked their own lives to do so when the call came.

He'd clung to her that day when she finally stepped out from the rubble, holding tightly as her body shook, and getting lost in the moment with her before finding a way to release the grip. She'd not only given herself a scare, but him as well. This was his wife, the one person that was central to his world, and he couldn't deny that day had been just as real for him as his was for her, which he knew was the reason behind the intensity that came from them once they returned to the apartment after his ceremony.

They'd barely made it through the door before beginning to shred their clothing.

It was intense, maybe more than it had ever been, something he couldn't get off his mind that morning.

"We probably should get going," Gabby stated, wiping traces of lipstick from his lips.

He nodded, knowing she was probably right.

Following her out of their bedroom and into the kitchen, all he could think about was how he hoped they could refocus on their marriage after what they had endured as of late. Not that he was fooling himself – the risks of their jobs would always cast a shadow.

Always.

They both, however, needed to deal with that reality a little better.

The subject was barely touched upon after his close call in a blazing fire, just barely touching the surface when she tearfully expressed for him to never say good-bye to her again, and then with his promise to always come back to her. It was a promise in an emotional moment between them that was inevitable.

"Gabby—"

After placing a cup of coffee in front of him, their eyes met, a soft smile curved her mouth.

He suddenly became silent, deciding against uttering any further words around the place she held in his life. After all, he was pretty sure he had made those feelings perfectly clear over the past twelve hours.

She didn't need him to say anything, she knew he loved her just as strongly as she loved him.

"Let's go before we're late."

Gabby picked up her cup of coffee and then backpack, just before giving him a soft smile while heading out the door. Matt, on the other hand, stood back for a few brief moments, watching as she left the apartment and then exhaling deeply, knowing that she meant more to him than words could have even expressed.

With that, he grabbed the cup of coffee before him and walked to the door.

* * *

Brett and Dawson pulled into the fire station, returning after their trip from Chicago Med with a woman who was experiencing strong labor pains thanks to a no-good boyfriend, who had refused to take her to the hospital out of sheer stubbornness. Unfortunately for him, the cries of the woman's pain were heard by several neighbors, which was the reason the cops were a few short car lengths ahead when they arrived.

The two of them walked into the firehouse and directly to the locker room.

The raised voices were heard as they entered through the doors, and before long, the two stumbled upon a heated exchange between Casey and Severide, which quickly began to fade at the sight of their presence. However, it had been clear something had gone down between the two men, leaving the tone in their voices show that this wasn't their usual disagreement.

Matt Casey looked at his wife, and then at Brett.

Severide also glanced at them, realizing this wasn't going to be a battle he was going to win with Casey in that moment, especially considering how Casey out-ranked him now. He could explain his reasonings on why he said what he said, but in the end, he had to let it go.

With that, he turned from all of them and walked out the door.

"What happened?" Gabby asked, moving toward Matt.

He shook his head, irritated with the strain his new ranking was beginning to have on the friendship with Severide. If this is how it was going to go, he knew there were going to be problems.

"It's nothing."

Brett glanced at Dawson and politely excused herself, just before exiting through the door of the locker room. Gabby waited a few seconds after the door closed before stepping back to her husband. It was clear from the tone of his voice that what had gone down with Severide was _not nothing._ She knew the two well, and she knew they could both be stubborn when it came to their jobs, just as she could be.

"Hey – "Gabby reached out, hoping to at the very least, be a voice of reason. She expected for him to be partially receptive to her comfort; however, he obviously had other ideas. He barely glanced at her when he shrugged off her words, slamming the locker door shut, and left her standing alone without so much as an _'I'll see you at home'_ coming from his lips.

She stood there, shaking her head at his mood.

It was clear going home wasn't going to be all that pleasant, if he was even there.

Brett stepped back through the doors of the locker room and found Dawson gathering her things and Casey nowhere in sight. She hoped that he hadn't taken his anger over Severide out on her. "Everything all right?" Sylvie Brett asked, although by the look from Dawson, it wasn't.

"I have to skip out on drinks tonight – I probably should get home."

Brett understood, letting her know that they could get drinks another time.

Gabby felt tempted to give him a few hours to cool down before going home, despite not wanting to put any additional strain on their marriage. They had already gone through so much; and, after the night they just shared, it was evident that neither wanted to live without the other.

"I guess I better go – maybe tomorrow night?"

Brett nodded with a smile before turning back to the lockers.

* * *

Gabby entered the apartment, not sure what she would stumble upon or what kind of mood he'd be in after he tore out of the firehouse, barely uttering a word in her direction on his way out. Truthfully, she wasn't even sure if he'd be there. Maybe he went to the bar with the rest of the firehouse family? Maybe he was out somewhere cooling off rather than coming home, where he knew the odds of them getting into an argument were high that night?

Guess not.

She heard the fridge door slam once she entered

Bracing herself for what was to come, she stepped further into the apartment and let the door close from behind. She set down the backpack and walked toward the kitchen slowly, where he stood with a beer in hand, staring across the room as her presence became known.

"I wasn't sure I would find you at home," Gabby expressed in slight disappointment from his actions in the locker room, just as she treaded lightly into their conversation. There was a puzzled look across his face as she got closer, almost as if he wouldn't have been anywhere else. "You left the firehouse tonight without me. I wasn't sure if you were joining everyone at Molly's, or if you were—I didn't know where you'd be."

She stopped near the kitchen island, keeping a wide enough gap between them.

"I'm sorry about that," he apologized, in between taking a few gulps of the beer in hand. "I should have waited – I skipped out on the paperwork." His eyes briefly skimmed down her body once she stepped around the island toward him.

He reached inside the fridge, grabbed another a beer and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said in a soft whisper, taking a slow sip as their eyes were glued to the other.

Despite his disagreement with Severide during a rescue, Matt Casey had spent the other half of the day thinking about his wife, wondering about the dangers that could be going on after rolling out on the ambo.

He had tried not to be, knowing it would only drive him crazy.

"I didn't even ask about your day - how was it?"

She set the bottle down on the counter before turning back to her husband, partially wondering if maybe the night wouldn't be as bad as initially thought on her way home? Did he leave all his frustration back at the station? Could they pick up where they had left off last night and again this morning?

"Brett and I took a call today – a woman was experiencing strong labor pains, and her boyfriend refused to bring her into the hospital out of an inconvenience to his day." Gabby saw the look that spread across his face, obviously a look of concern for the woman sure, but maybe even a slight memory of when she had experienced excruciating pain of her own and how Boden was there for her.

The circumstances were different – however, it was probably something that entered his mind as it had hers.

Matt brought a hand up to her shoulder, a softness reflected in his eyes.

"What happened? Is she all right?"

"We got her to the hospital in time, but that's all I know." All she could do was keep good thoughts.

He stepped closer and cupped her face gently, letting all other thoughts of the day fade off into a distance, knowing that this must have affected her in more ways than one, especially considering how their end left her with regret and utter sadness, as it did him.

Their lips met as he drew her near, keeping their kisses soft and slow.

His hands then rested gently against her hips once their lips parted, just long enough to regain the airflow into his lungs, and before long, his eyes shifted back down to her lips. It was then that he knew coming home to be with her that night had been the right decision. The Firehouse 51 family was a great support when needed; however, it was his wife that had the true ability to make him forget.

Before he had the chance to flirt with another kiss, he felt the heat from her touch once they cupped his face with force, right before leaning in to deepen the kiss between them, allowing his tongue to find hers in an instant. He moaned as her fingers teased the waistband of his pants, and he wanted nothing more than to strip off the clothing between them before her touch went any further.

She pulled back, slightly out of breath, leaving him confused once she stepped away and disappeared from his view within a matter of seconds. He pursed his lips together, barely able to move in that moment, right up until she peaked around the corner, obviously just long enough to determine if he was going to continue standing in the kitchen or follow her into the bedroom.

A smile escaped, as he bit down on his bottom lip before joining her.

Once he stepped inside the room, he couldn't help but inhale deeply at the vision of her sitting on the edge of the bed, stripped down to nothing but a bra and panties, hair swaying loosely around her shoulders, and looking at him with a seductive smile, eyes he could get lost in.

"I know you probably wanted to watch the game tonight—"

He moved from the doorway, barely able to concentrate on what she was saying by the way she looked - she was wearing a piece of lingerie that he hadn't seen before tonight. And, ever since the day she was trapped in a parking garage, concrete about to come crashing down around her, the two of them couldn't get enough of the other. They'd spent most of the previous night and the earlier hours of the morning focused on each other, almost as if they'd lost time that they were trying to get back.

In a way, they were.

"I think the game can wait," he whispered, eyes drifting down to her, and then stepping forward until he was standing at the foot of the bed. It was then that he felt her fingers tug at the waistband of his pants, pulling him closer. He smirked, licking his lips slightly, right before pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it on the floor.

He stood there for a moment, taking her in once more, and then stripped down to his boxers.

She moved both hands behind her, scooting further onto the bed.

Once he joined her and their lips crashed onto each other, he rolled her body until she was covering him completely, and when she broke from their kiss, she sat up in a straddling position, breathing deeply, and through the darkness looking down at him as his hands rested against her thighs, his eyes remaining peeled to hers.

She playfully bit down on her bottom lip, reaching behind her back and removing the snaps that held her bra in place, right until it hung loosely around the front of her frame. Something that wasn't lost on her husband. And once she tossed it to the side of the bed, she felt him shift underneath.

His fingers tugged on the lining of her panties until they were removed.

Gabby took a deep breath before lowering herself back down, removing the boxers off him in the process. She then felt his hands on her lower back as he rolled her over – they moved in rhythm, slowly, kisses deepening with each thrust, and then after repeating several times, she was back on top and hovering over him, breathless. That was, until he reached to pull her back down to him where she belonged. "I love you," he whispered into her ear, just before she collapsed across his chest.

...


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the interest - hopefully, it will continue.

I will be traveling over the next week,but here is a new Chapter - I will write a longer one next weekend. :)

* * *

 **Back to You: Chapter Two:**

* * *

Matt Casey returned to the firehouse after pulling a man out of a burning building with what appeared to be first degree burns and some smoke inhalation, however, it had been the scene outside that grabbed his attention. Gabby was standing there, doing everything she could to hold a woman back from the fire, watching her become almost inconsolable by the thought of what was going on inside.

Back in his quarters, though. the paperwork was needing attention.

A stack he could no longer ignore.

After attempting to write a few more words down on the incident report, he tossed the pen aside and leaned back in the chair, thoughts continuing to circle back to Gabby's face at the scene. He knew she could relate to the woman – after all, it hadn't been that long ago when it was her standing outside of a burning building, while he was trapped inside, fearing that getting back to her would be almost impossible.

Those flashes were interrupted by a familiar touch drape from behind across his chest.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered into his ear in a slightly flirtatious tone.

What he really was thinking about was her – how the call they were on that day pulled his emotions back to a day neither of them liked to think about, let alone discuss, as it meant dealing with their fears about the future together, due to the job.

Instead, he let out a deep sigh and muttered, "Paperwork."

The placement of her hands moved from his chest to his shoulder before stepping back. He might have said he had paperwork to complete, which probably wasn't a lie based on the pile on his desk, but she could tell he was distracted. "I'm going to stop at Molly's before going home. Maybe afterwards –" she glanced over the left shoulder toward the door as her words trailed, confirming the coast was clear. They might be married, but they usually tried not to put on a full display with the door wide open. "Maybe we could take advantage of another night with just the two of us?"

Her words caused him to lose all concentration – their last few times together had been incredible.

Matt turned around slowly toward his wife, eyebrows raised, while his arm rested against the back of the chair. He couldn't help but smile at the suggestion, spending the better part of the evening in a repeat performance of the previous night. She had surprised him in ways that he didn't want to forget.

"Yes." The reply didn't need much thought. "It was a great night, and you were—"

Gabby moved back and covered her mouth with his, muffling the sound of his words.

"Don't be too long," she whispered, once their lips parted from their kiss.

He sat there for a few seconds after she disappeared from his quarters. He was now left with trying to put together enough focus to get through the stack of paperwork before him, which meant putting the thoughts of her out of his mind, at least for the next hour. However, she wasn't exactly playing fair when she drew him into that kiss, an intentional maneuver on her part to remind him that he had better options that night, he didn't need to spend the next several hours chatting with Boden or buried in paperwork before going home.

A kiss wasn't needed to remind him of that.

Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and sat up straight, and then turned his focus to the stack of incident reports.

* * *

Sylvie Brett returned to the table and placed another beer in front of Gabby Dawson, who had glanced down at her watch for the 10th time in about five minutes, since it had been almost two hours from the end of shift, where she had left her husband in his office quarters with a stack of paperwork, and surprisingly after the incentive she gave him, there still hadn't been any communication on his end.

No phone call, no text.

"Waiting for Casey?" Brett asked, taking a seat across from Dawson.

Noticing how distracted she must have appeared, Gabby shook her head. "No—No, I just told Casey we'd be here, so I thought he might stop by before going home." It was possible, though, that he had done just that, and maybe wasn't in the mood to sit around the bar that night.

Sylvie laughed a bit. "Go call your husband – or better yet, go home."

The voices surrounding them seemed to get louder by the second, and they could barely hear the other.

"You did say he had a pile of paperwork, right?" Brett asked from across the table, even though she wasn't exactly sure if Gabby could hear one single word. However, she did notice the slight nod in agreement. "He probably finished what he had and went straight home."

"Are you sure?"

Sylvie reached for the beer bottle in front of her friend and pulled it back. "Go."

Gabby glanced at her phone – one missed voicemail.

"Oh, wait. Maybe this is him—"

Brett watched as Gabby excused herself from the table, knowing there was no way she'd be able to hear another sound in the bar. Gabby then made her way through the crowd and out the front door of Molly's, allowing it to close from behind.

Outside, Gabby held the phone up to her ear, listening to the message.

 _'Gabby, it's me. I'm at home – I'll see you when you get back, love you.'_

She ended the voicemail, a little confused on why he hadn't just stopped by to let her know he would rather go home. After all, he knew she was there, and he had to know she would have left with him in a heartbeat.

Gabby stuck her cell phone in the back pocket of her jeans, and then made her way back into the bar.

* * *

Matt had been home for almost two hours, hoping that Gabby had gotten the voicemail he left. After finishing the last incident report and dropping them off in Boden's office, he wasn't up for spending it in a crowded bar, he only wanted to be spending it with his wife.

Unfortunately, she was not home.

He placed the empty beer bottles in the recycling, and just before he was about to turn the lights off for the night, he heard the door open. The look on her face said, _'Why didn't you meet me at the bar'_? Truth was, he probably should have taken the time to walk across the street to get her before heading home.

"Hey."

Gabby walked through the living room and into the kitchen. "Herrmann said you were in with Boden when he left the firehouse – is everything all right?" Matt had not been Captain for long, but it was already starting to affect him not only on the job but at home as well.

"It's Severide – you know what, never-mind." He walked around to where she stood, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes. He needed a distraction – from the additional responsibilities of being Captain and being challenged by Severide. "Right now, I'm all yours."

She couldn't deny that she wanted the same.

"Matt—" she drew out softly, just as his lips were about to brush against hers.

His eyes shifted to hers, and while he could tell that she wanted to be with him that night just as much as he did, it wasn't going to be based on the sole purpose of being a distraction. For him, that wasn't the only reason, but his wife knew him well enough to know that he had something on his mind.

"Gabby, I don't want to get into it tonight," he began, moving from her to the kitchen table, where he took a seat in one of the chairs. "Talking about it isn't going to change anything. Severide challenged my rank plain and simple, and he refused to back down."

She nodded, standing several feet from the table.

"Baby, you two had a different opinion on a rescue. You'll work it out."

He stood up from the chair, finally feeling as though being home was the last place he wanted to be. "You know what – maybe I was wrong about tonight." He grabbed the set of keys on the other end of the table, and then turned to her. "Don't wait up."

"Matt—"

Before she knew it, the door shut and then a few seconds later, she heard the lock.

A part of her wanted to be angry, and truthfully, she was; however, there was this other part of her that couldn't help but smile. He was upset – either aimed all at Severide, or maybe even a little bit at her for what she could assume was his belief of a lack of support – despite all that, he still made sure to lock the door instead of only closing it.

Even so, it was irritating that he had bolted, avoiding any type of discussion over what had happened and why it bothered him so much. They knew how Severide was, and she didn't think a disagreement between the two should have caused the amount of friction that it was having, which she couldn't tell if it rested solely about the rescue or if this had to do with her husband's promotion.

She shook her head, leaving the kitchen and walking back toward the bedrooms.

* * *

Matt Casey entered Molly's, and the first person he noticed sitting at the bar, Kelly Severide.

He thought about turning back around and finding someplace else to lick his wounds, first from someone who was like a brother to him and then from his own wife. However, as he stood near the door, he realized that they would need to come to some common ground; otherwise, working together was going to be a continued strain to their friendship.

"Casey?"

He turned, noticing Sylvie Brett walking toward him.

"I thought Dawson said you went home?" she asked, confused about his presence.

He shrugged and then said, "I did." He was vague, not letting on that he had been home and that he'd gotten into it a bit with his wife, at least enough for him to want to walk out the door rather than sit home and discuss what was on his mind. As he stood there, though, he was starting to realize that walking out on her in the way he did was a little idiotic.

Sylvie watched as he excused himself and walked over to the bar, where Severide was sitting. She could feel the tension between the two men from across the room, just as Casey sat down in the stool next to the guy who at one point had been his equal.

"We need to work this out—" Matt Casey bit out rather sharply. "I should be home with my wife."

Severide turned slightly. "I'm not stopping you."

Casey chuckled with annoyance. "No, it's clear that you're not." He paused. "I didn't ask for this promotion Severide, but I need you to respect it. If you can't do that – you and I are going to have real problems here. And I don't need my wife feeling like she needs to play peacemaker between the two of us."

* * *

Gabby had given up on the notion that her husband was going to change his mind and come home anytime soon, so she'd stripped down to a tank and a pair of pajama bottoms before slipping into bed. Falling asleep was going to be a challenge, knowing that he was out there doing who knows what, maybe drowning in a few to forget about Severide and the disagreement they also had, which in truth, she wasn't even sure why it happened.

Just then – she heard the door unlock and then close again.

She laid there still, darkness surrounding the bedroom, halfway debating on whether to pretend to be asleep, or to face whatever mood he was in before this minor problem between him and Severide spilled over into their marriage, creating a giant hole that couldn't be repaired.

She knew the answer – this wasn't the time to be digging in her heels.

Matt Casey entered the apartment, noticing that outside of the light that he turned on, it was complete darkness. He heard no sound either, so he was pretty sure that she wasn't sitting up watching a Blackhawks game wondering if or when he was coming home.

Quietly moving toward the bedroom in the back, he stood in the doorframe of their bedroom, where the only light he could see was coming in between the blinds. Her hands were draped over his side of the pillow, something that told him that he'd been a jerk earlier when he stormed out, almost as if what she was saying to him wasn't true.

"Are you awake?"

She heard his voice – at least he was trying, instead of slipping into bed without a word uttered in her direction, or worse yet, not bothering to come home at all. They'd already been down that road once; although, at the time, Severide was his place of retreat.

"I'm awake."

He noticed the tone in her voice, almost as if she wasn't sure what else to say.

After removing what he had on except for the boxers, he slid into his side of the bed and then felt her hand move, just before his head hit the pillow. They'd gone through a lot over the past few months, with him almost being burned alive and her being trapped, so this argument no longer seemed important.

She was his life – the most important part.

It was then that Gabby felt his hand rest against her hip.

"I spoke to Severide, we worked it out as much as we're going to for now," he told her, as the two faced each other in the dark. "Walking out on you like that – it wasn't right." These were words that were an understatement – he knew how she felt about him taking off and not coming home, even if it was just a few hours and not for the night. They were married now, and the more they didn't talk things out, the worse it would be for them, and loving each other wasn't going to save that.

"Matt," she began softly, reaching and placing a hand against his cheek. It was warm to the touch. "You're my husband – I'm always proud and support you completely, but what happened tonight, you need to find an outlet to this mounting pressure." She turned, reached across the bed and touched the remote to switch on the light of the lamp on the nightstand, just before moving back to him. "I'm your wife; I'm not your punching bag."

True enough.

His hand moved from her hip to her lower back, sliding her closer, even if it was just to show that he understood what she was saying, and that he agreed. He wasn't about to be like Boden – losing his wife due to a communication failure, or by letting the pressure of the job be the thing that breaks his marriage.

"I hear you," he acknowledged back to her in a low whisper. "I really do."

...


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay - real life got in the way, and this chapter was a bit challenging to write.

Hope everyone enjoys it - more to come after the holidays!

* * *

 **Chapter Three:**

Matt Casey and his wife, Gabriela Dawson, neared firehouse 51 in silence, knowing that as much as they wanted to keep their personal life separate, it was bound to creep in and create tensions on the job, particularly around the struggles of being Captain, and the way she was a strong and independent woman that seemed to find trouble.

He was also still learning when to hold back frustrations on the job once at home.

Like she said, he needs to find a better outlet.

Gabby, on the other hand, was slightly willing to let it all play out to a certain extent; mostly due to her feeling as though the promotion might mean less contact with the actual fires – after everything they had been through, deep down she was starting to wish for him to be the one standing outside the file rather than risking his life inside.

Losing him secretly weighed heavily on her mind.

The two barely took two steps on the apparatus floor of the firehouse when Chief Boden called out for Casey. No smile, either – clueing them in that it was an immediate order. Matt took a slight glance back in Gabby's direction when they separated, right before following Boden through the doors to the common room and directly into his office.

"Close the door."

Casey drew in a breath, turned to do just that, and then quickly took a seat in one of the chairs across from the Chief's desk. He wasn't quite sure what was going on – did this have to do with the struggles with Severide, which seemed a bit unlikely after basically being told to deal with those issues on his own? Or, was this a personal matter?

"What's this about, Chief?" Matt Casey asked, noticing the mood of Boden.

"The incident report you turned in by Brett and Dawson is being looked into further – the boyfriend of the young woman that went into labor is citing negligence against firehouse 51 and CPD, forcing partial responsibility to us for the stress that was endured during her labor." Boden paused for a moment, letting the news sink in, despite how ridiculous it sounded. "You realize I can't let you handle this one."

In a bit of shock, Casey sat there in silence, trying to make sense of what he just heard.

Of course, his first thought was for Gabby Dawson, his wife, rather than as a paramedic, the one person he would always want to protect. This was the difficult part of the job, though – dealing with situations where he should be using his head and not his heart. Despite the internal struggle, however, he knew that once Gabby heard the news of the state the woman was in, let alone that the tables were being turned on her and Brett and the CPD, it would infuriate her to no end.

"Chief—"

Boden shook his head. "We have to play this one right."

All Matt could do was surrender to those words, knowing that Boden didn't need to remind him what that meant – there were rules and regulations around married couples, and those couldn't be overlooked under any circumstance. Still, that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. "You're going to take care of this?" he said, more as a statement than a question.

Regardless of what this idiot was claiming went down, Matt Casey knew his wife.

It was also clear that not only would this situation have an impact on their marriage, it was going to have a rippling effect through the firehouse as well. They were talking about two top first responders, and the idea that there was any negligence on a call of this nature, especially for Gabby Dawson, was quite insulting.

"I'm going to do my best."

* * *

After exiting Boden's office, impatience set in once Matt Casey entered his own office quarters, knowing that Brett and Dawson were being informed about the situation - including the fact that they were temporarily being pulled from ambo until this was resolved, an unfair suspension.

When he turned around – there was Severide, not Gabby.

"Hey."

Severide stood in the frame of the door, noticing the look on Casey's face. This wasn't only about a man wanting to shift blame of his own negligence onto those who had tried to help, he was also picking a battle with the wrong firehouse in the process. "I heard about Dawson."

"Boden's talking to them right now," Casey responded.

Kelly Severide stepped into Casey's quarters. "We have to do something about this."

Casey folded both arms across his chest, nodding. "I agree, but my hands are tied on this one." He drew out a breath. "Now that I'm Captain and Gabby and I are married, I've been ordered to stay out of it by Boden. Being there for the hearing is also out of the question."

That was rough, they knew it.

Severide didn't have to ask Casey how he felt about it either, as not only was he being asked to stay away from the hearing because this involved his wife, he also couldn't go show support for another member of the firehouse family.

Besides that, this was a delicate subject matter for Casey and Dawson.

It brought up painful memories.

"This woman – can't she disprove his story, or is that the problem?" Severide questioned, as he stood across from Casey. "Chief has to know that she is probably the only one that can prove that Brett and Dawson went against this guy on her…" his words trailed, once he noticed Dawson near the entrance of the officer quarters.

Even though Gabby's eyes were glued to her husband, it was Severide that took the first step with a supportive hug.

"This will blow over."

She smiled when they pulled back from the embrace and said, "Thanks, Severide."

On his way out of the quarters, Severide glanced at Casey, letting him know that the rift between them didn't matter, they would do what was necessary to bring out the truth. If that meant having a discussion with this guy to set him straight, he was prepared to be the one to do just that.

Casey nodded, thankful.

Moving away from the edge of the desk as Gabby entered the quarters, Matt closed the door and turned back to his wife, trying to read the body language surrounding her silence. "Are you OK?" he asked in a supportive tone.

In short – no, she was not.

How could she be?

"I'm fine," she lied, trying to hide the fact that the entire situation was more than unfair to both her and Brett, especially considering it was the boyfriend who, if anything, should be taking sole responsibility for the entire situation that led up to his girlfriend going into distress in labor. He was the one who acted irresponsible – how could he possibly have believed this was a battle that he was going to win, in court or otherwise?

"Gabby—"

She reached for his hand and forced a tense smile. "I'll see you at home after shift."

Rubbing the tense muscles on the back of his neck, Casey watched his wife with worry as she opened the door and walked out of the quarters, knowing that she certainly was not _'fine'_ after what had just happened.

How was he going to stay out of this when the future of her career was being threatened?

Reaching for the cell phone on a stack of papers, he pressed a number on speed dial.

* * *

Gabby stepped through the doors that led to the bathroom stalls and showers, noticing nothing but silence as she stepped further inside. A part of her felt like screaming, to release the emotions that had quickly boiled over from the conversation with Boden and then with Matt. It was all protocol, she knew that, but she also knew that her and Brett had been in the right on this particular call.

Nobody could tell her any different.

Releasing a slight breath and wiping a couple tears dry, the door quickly swung open.

Stella Kidd and Gabby Dawson exchanged a look between them, knowing that what was happening was ridiculous, and that this needed to be resolved as quickly as possible so they could get back to their jobs.

"You know 51 has your back on this – both of you," Stella promised, "Chief won't let them railroad either one of you, or pull you from this firehouse for long without a fight. Besides, we both know that it's complete garbage."

Gabby smiled, nodding. "He should have been arrested when we were on scene."

Stella nodded in return. "And your husband – he's got your back, you have to know that."

Problem was, Gabby _did_ know that. However, she also knew that Matt was being put in a difficult position, and if he attempted to step in and offer any means of support, a demotion could probably follow.

Boden's warning was clear – Matt Casey was to keep his distance from this.

* * *

"I read the report from our guys and Voight filled me in on the rest," Antonio Dawson informed his brother-in-law, Matt Casey, who sat across the table from him at Molly's. "This guy seems to be looking for an easy way to have the medical bill paid for child birth, claiming that there was a delay in getting her to the hospital on time to administer the proper pain medication before it got too rough, due to the interference of the CPD."

"What does that have to do with Gabby and Brett?" Matt bit out, frustrated.

"We're doing what we can to nail this guy, but in a way, he has us pinned in a corner – the CFD and CPD. We did follow-up on a complaint from neighbors around her labor pains, and we did create a slight hold-up when Sylvie and Gabby showed up, but certainly not long enough where she didn't receive proper care." He paused for a moment. "We could use someone speaking to this woman – she has to do the right thing here." Antonio continued.

Finding the right person to do that may be difficult.

"For now, you just need to know that we're working on it." Antonio reached for the beer bottle before him and took a drink. "I need you to keep Gabby calm when she goes to that hearing, or she'll make a tough situation even worse."

 _Keep Gabby calm._

Matt knew that was easier said than done, given the fact that this was about a man who hadn't shown too much consideration or love toward the woman who was carrying his child. Something he couldn't understand. "Boden has asked me to stay out of it." Matt told him, even though the idea of doing so didn't sit well with him.

"Voight is working on it."

Casey knew what Antonio was thinking – was he going to let the direct order stop him?

"I don't want her to be faced with this guy in a hearing, Antonio. I want this over before it gets to that point," Matt expressed with concern, knowing that a practice run wouldn't help matters, it would all go to hell once Gabby saw this guy in court. "Because of my position at the CFD and the fact that Gabby and I are married, I can't help her on this – not on the front line anyway. I need you to do it for me."

Antonio pushed aside the empty beer bottle. "She's my sister, I'm here for her."

Casey nodded.

After setting a few bills on the table to cover the beer, both of them stood up from the table and Antonio turned to Casey, "Keep it together – for her sake at least. I'll be in touch."

* * *

Gabby entered the apartment expecting to find her husband, however, it was dark, showing no visible sign that he had been home after shift. It left her wondering if maybe they had gotten their wires crossed?

It was eerily quiet.

Too much maybe.

She had barely turned on the lights when the door open and closed behind her, and then there he was, stepping into the apartment with a familiar smile. It actually was a relief to see him after the news she'd gotten that day.

"I tried calling you, where have you been?" Gabby asked, right after he placed a soft kiss against the top of her head and walked around her.

"Meeting with your brother."

Gabby didn't like the sound of this. "Matt—"

He turned slightly at her concerned tone as he neared the fridge, and then quickly pulled out a few beers before turning back around and handing her one. "Gabby, it's going to be fine. Your brother is handling this, he'll take care of it." Matt understood her worry, knowing that this wasn't just about the job either, not for either of them.

Shaking her head, Gabby left the kitchen and headed into the living room, where she reluctantly sat down on the sofa, away from his view. The last thing she needed was for him to get caught in this mess with her, which could risk his current promotion, a job she knew he was meant to do.

Following her into the living room and asking, "What's wrong?"

"You know this could get ugly." She looked over at him, irritated. "Matt, I don't want you to get all tangled up in this because I'm your wife." Casey drew out a breath, standing a short distance from her. "Brett and I handled this call the way we were trained – we are 100% confident that we did the right thing and the CPD did as well, but we both know Boden isn't going to ask you twice to stay out of this."

He exhaled, closing his eyes briefly, and then joined her on the sofa.

She was right.

They both knew it.

"OK-so you went to Antonio, I get that," Gabby began, smiling as she reached across the sofa for his hand. "But Matt, you can't get involved, you need to let the CPD handle this, if that's what they are going to do."

His eyes drifted down to their intertwined fingers. "I love you."

"I know, and I love you too," she returned the sentiment, feeling as though their life together would always come first – the love between them was what mattered most. She removed the beer bottle from his hand and placed it on the coffee table. The last thing she wanted to do was spend another second talking about this jerk, the one who obviously didn't think about what would have happened if the CFD or the CPD hadn't been there to help his girlfriend, she probably would have lost the baby, or worse, she could have died in the process.

He could have lost them both – and for what?

She shook off the thought.

Gripping her hands on the sofa cushion rather tightly, she lifted herself up on both knees, wanting only to be with her husband in that moment.

"Gabby…" he gasped, leaving any other word to be cut short by the way her lips devoured his in that split second. Even if he had wanted to utter another word, he was too caught up in the way her warm breath felt against his mouth, just as he pulled her body forward and she climbed into his lap to straddle him, stopping any further thought from escaping.

His eyes grew wide, and she could sense his excitement.

She then pressed against him.

His hands were felt against her lower back, fingers slowly reaching underneath her top and against the bare skin, causing nothing but heat to be felt between them with each deepening kiss. And before long, her top was being removed, right as she sat down against his thighs.

"What?" he asked, one hand behind her neck, directly underneath her hair.

Gabby just shook her head in that moment, knowing that if she had carried to full term, there was no way the man before her would have left her to scream in agony, claiming that she wasn't ready when it was clear that she was, in fact, ready to deliver their baby.

"Nothing—" Gabby breathed.

Matt Casey smiled, gently closing the gap between him and his wife, just as his lips found hers and took the two of them away from their current realty, which was that her world was being rocked and he was powerless to do anything about it.

...


End file.
